Right and left thread, slidable jaw, handle-actuated wrench



Aug. 26, 1958 E. M. cooK' 2,848,917 I RIGHT AND LEFT THREAD, SLIDABLE JAW, HANDLE-ACTUATED WRENCH Filed June 7, 1957 INVENTOR.

fizz/5 M. COOK ATTD RN EYS nited States Patent Ofiice 2,848,917 Patented Aug. 26, 1 958 RIGHT AND LEFT THREAD SLIDABLE JAW, HANDLE-ACTUATED WRENCH 'Ellis Mr Cook, "Longtime, Application June 7, 1957, Serial No. 664,391

1 Claim. '(Cl; 81 1'63) This invention relates to wrenches of the type generally referred to as monkey wrenches, and in particular a monkey wrench in which both of the jaws are movable, one jaw being operated by a right hand thread and the other by a left hand thread with the screws forming the right and left hand threads integral with a handle extended through one of the jaws and wherein threads thereof coact with teeth of the other jaw so that by turning the handle in one direction both jaws move apart and by turning the handle in the opposite direction both jaws move together.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a quick acting wrench in which both jaws are actuated by a common handle whereby the speed with which the wrench may be adjusted to correspond with the size of a bolt head, nut, or other device is substantially increased.

Various types of adjusting elements have been used on wrenches and particularly pipe wrenches, however, in substantially all wrenches of this type one jaw is stationary with the stock or handle and the other is slidably mounted thereon and actuated by a nut or the like rotatably mounted on the handle or stock, or in the stationary jaw and positioned to engage teeth of the shank of the movable jaw. With such construction it is necessary to turn a nut with the thumb and forefinger of one hand to adjust the position of one jaw in relation to another and with some types of wrenches considerable time is required to make the adjustment. v

With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a double speed wrench wherein both jaws move simultaneously and wherein the positions of the jaws are adjusted by turning the handle of the wrench.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a wrench wherein relative positions of the jaws are adjusted by rotating the handle of the wrench in which the jaws are moved simultaneously to correspond with nuts, bolts, and other devices of difierent sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a double acting wrench wherein the jaws are actuated to free and gripping positions by rotation of the handle of the wrench'in which the jaws are actuated by right and left hand threads.

A further object of the invention is to provide a double speed wrench in which both jaws move in relationto a handle and in which one jaw is actuated with a right hand thread while the other moves with a left hand thread in which the wrench is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies .an elongated handle having an enlarged section with a left hand thread thereon spaced inwardly from one end and having a screw with a right hand thread thereon extended from the enlarged section, an inner jaw slidably mounted on the handle and having a threaded socket into which the screw having the right hand threads thereon is threaded and which is provided with openings positioned parallel to the handle, and

2 an outer jaw having, a'shank with teeth in one end slidably mounted in the opening throughithe inner .jaw and positioned with the teeth in the edge of the shank in meshing relation with the left hand "threads on the en- :larged portion of the handle.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a. sideelevational view of the improved doublespeed wrench.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the wrench looking toward the open ends of the jaws.

Figure? is an exploded view showing the end .of the handle upon which'the portions having the right hand and left hand threads thereon are positioned, the inner jaw with the threaded socket for receiving the screw of the handle, and the outer jaw with the shank having the teeth in one edge and in which the shank is formed to be slidably mounted in the body of the inner jaw.

Figure 4 is a cross section through the head of the wrench taken on line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved double speed wrench of this invention includes a handle 10 having an enlarged portion 11 with left hand threads 12 thereon spaced from one end and having a stem or screw 13 with right hand threads thereon extended from the portion 11, an inner jaw 14 carried by a body 15, the body being provided with a longitudinally disposed opening 16 that is positioned to receive a shank 17 of an outer jaw 18, one edge of the shank 17 being provided with teeth 19 to correspond with the left hand threads 12 of the enlarged portion 11 spaced inwardly from the end of the handle 10.

The enlarged portion 11 of the handle 10 extends from a point 20 to a point 21 and the screw 13 extends from near the point 21 to the point 22 at the end of the handle.

The body 15 of the movable or inner jaw 14 is provided with a transversely disposed opening 23 providing a section 24 in which an opening 25, through which the handle 10 extends, is positioned and the opposite end of the body is provided with a relatively solid portion 26 in which a threaded socket 27, having right hand threads to correspond with the screw 13, is positioned and with the handle positioned in the body or shank of the inner jaw 14 and the screw 13 threaded in the socket 27 the jaw 14 is adapted to be moved longitudinally of the handle upon rotation of the handle.

As illustrated in Fig. 4 the shank 17 of the outer jaw 18 is positioned in an opening or passage 16 that extends longitudinally through the body or shank of the inner jaw 14 and with the shank positioned in the body and also with the enlarged portion 11 and screw 13 at the end of the handle in the body the teeth 12 of the enlarged portion 11 of the handle are in meshing relation with the teeth 19 on the edge of the shank 17 of the outer jaw, whereby upon rotation of the handle the threads 12 move the outer jaw 18 in one direction and the threads of the screw 13 move the inner jaw 14 in the opposite direction.

By this means rotation of the handle 10 in one direction moves the jaws 14 and 18 apart and rotation of the handle in the opposite direction moves the jaws together, whereby the jaws grip a nut, bolt head, or other object or device positioned between the jaws.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claim, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a right and left thread, slidable jaw, handle-actuated wrench, the combination which comprises an elongated handle having an enlarged portion with left hand threads on the outer surface spaced from one end thereof and having a stem of a diameter less than that of the enlarged portion extended from said enlarged portion and having right hand threads thereon, a body having an opening therethrough and an inner jaw on one end slidably mounted on the handle, the body having an internally threaded socket in alignment with the axis of the handle in the end upon which the inner jaw is positioned and into which said stem is threaded, and an outer jaw having a shank with threads on an inner edge slidably mounted in an opening extended longitudinally through the body and positioned with the threads thereof in meshing relation with the threads of the said enlarged portion of the handle whereby upon rotation of the handle in one direction both the inner and outer jaws move away from a point between the jaws and upon rotation of the handle in the opposite direction both jaws move toward a common point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 188,968 Shepard Mar. 27, 1877 338,707 Barnstein Mar. 30, 1886 551,163 Hill Dec. 10, 1895 553,008 Lodetti Jan. 14, 1896 554,284 Lorang Feb. 11, 1896 830,619 Shepherd Sept. 11, 1906 899,336 Shaw Sept. 22, 1908 1,446,904 Jones Feb. 27, 1923 

